She Knew That This Wasn't Goodbye

She turned to him,
Her glowing face
Looking up to him,
Her golden curls
Framing her rosy cheeks
With timeless grace
And unquestionable beauty.

Her rosebud lips parted
As the silence hung tight –
Hesitating, in trembling suspense
As the tears gathered
Like crystals in her eyes,
Twinkling in the soft moonlight
As they quietly fell.

The only sound all around
Of hushed, gentle breathing
Echoing like thunder
And shattering the peace
Of the calm, tranquil night
As they both stood grieving
For the loss of the day.

Her sadness caught
And scraped at the air
As a sob crossed her lips,
Slicing the stillness
And drowning the silence –
Though she swore she’d ne’er
Cry before him.

The tears crashed more suddenly,
As the still night woke
And cut through the silence
As she bowed her head
And lowered her eyes,
For the shame that she broke
Their unspoken promise.

Now he turned away
As she’d broken their gaze,
And stared at the stars
And tried not to think,
For he was breaking her heart
In so many ways –
How could he look at her eyes?

He remembered that time
When they were acquainted
And so was he magicked
By those bewitching green eyes
That when they were parted
He searched and he waited
In the hope that they may meet again.

And when he had found her
He held her so tight
And vowed that he’d keep her,
That he’d never leave her –
As he clasped both her hands
And led her into the night
And they danced by the light of the stars.

Now he was leaving
For battlefields afar
And he knew that he must say goodbye
For he was travelling so long
And might never return,
Though he wished on a star
And prayed he might see her again.

Now his eyes too glistened
With quivering tears,
As his unruly curls
Fell over his face
And hid from her sight
The questioning fears
That she never wanted to see.

He glanced to his lady
And once again met her eyes
Before looking up sharply
When her eyes begged for contact,
And he stood there, staring –
Scanning the midnight skies
For an answer, an escape from the pain.

He spotted a star
That so brightly shone –
He couldn’t alter his stare,
For it held him a prisoner
As did her eyes
When they first became one
So long ago, so far from tonight…

“You see yonder star?”
As for the first time
He shattered the silence,
“The brightest one there –
The glory of the heavens
As you are mine
So precious, so treasured –

So strong, yet so delicate
With the strength of the moon
And gentleness of Angels
So alike thee,
But lonely as well
As you shall be soon
When I am gone,

But I shall return
Sweet Angel of mine,
So when you feel saddened
Remember these words
And look at the stars
Whilst you are passing the time
‘Till we are together once more.

That star is us
Shining brightly as one,
And it shall be as bright
As ever it was –
For still our hearts are together
When I am gone
And no moment shall pass when I think
not of you –“

Their gaze met once more
And a few moments passed,
As they stood in the moonlight –
Hands within hands,
Counting their time together
Until she asked;
“When again shall I see you, sweet love?”

“When you look at the stars”
Came his whispered reply
As he leant towards her
And their lips met.
They prayed for each-other
With their silent good-bye –
For they knew that they had forever.

As he rode to the distance
And into the night,
She gazed at the skies
Whilst she thought of those words
With not a tear in her eye
As the day sprang from night –
For she knew that this wasn’t goodbye.


SJL: 23rd January, 2001